blackout

O.K. here's the story. At the primary activity yesterday, I was visiting with Debie. Mckenna, whispered, "Aren't you going to tell her what happened?" So, with her permission, I told Debie about our exciting Tuesday night. Debie mentioned it in her comment and when I checked my email before bed last night, I found this email...

What fainting incident? Are you ok?
Hope you are OK. Maybe you need to go to the Dr.
Love ya
Mom

I am fine!

Mckenna had a dentist appointment on Tuesday afternoon. It was just a cleaning. The hygienist had to work hard on her. She had a lot of plaque built up on her teeth. They have mentioned this before, so after the last appointment I bought her an electric toothbrush. For some reason, it hasn't worked. I guess it might be because you have to actually put it in your mouth and turn it on and apply it to your teeth! I sent her up to brush her teeth every night, but after visiting with her sister, I find that she hasn't been doing a very good job. I thought she was old enough to not have me hover over her anymore. I guess I was wrong. The dentist suggested that for awhile I supervise to make sure she is doing a good job.

Anyway, later that night I was brushing her teeth to have her feel what it is supposed to feel like. Her gums were very tender and irritated from the intense cleaning earlier. When she spit and saw the blood in the sink, she said, "I don't feel good."

"Do you need to sit down?" I asked.

She nodded and went completely limp. I helped lay her down on the bath mat and started yelling her name. Her eyes were wide open but I knew nobody was there. She stiffened up and didn't respond to my attempts to get her back. I remembered she needed blood to her head, so I grabbed her feet and held them up. It seemed like she was out for a long time, but I know it was probably less than a minute. When she came to, she blinked and looked at me and asked, "What happened?" Other than being scared from the whole thing, she was fine. She had a hard time going to sleep after that, so when dad got home he gave her a blessing and she went right to sleep.

I'm honestly getting better. My kids have done this before. Court and Cam have each had a couple of fainting episodes. The first time it happened, I had the phone in my hand, ready to call 911. Now, I know what it is and even though it is scary, I don't panic.

I ask all those in the blogging world to do me and my kids a favor. Please don't bleed around my kids!

Playing mice

This girl left Monday to hike in the rain.

This girl joined her for girl's camp the next day.

These guys left yesterday to float down a river.

What are these girls going to do?

PARTAY!!!

Shh! Don't tell the Bishop!

Some of the wild and crazy things we have done or will do:

• Dinner at Applebees. (On Wednesdays, kids eat for .99 cents!)
• Primary activity at the temple
• Pool time!
• Movies
• Lots and lots of cuddles

Sounds exciting, doesn't it?

Sunday nap?!

I was so exhausted after church that I decided to take a well deserved Sunday nap. I stretched out on my comfy bed, looking for a nice long restful sleep.

Slam! muffled giggling and talking.

I waited for Mad and Kenna to quiet down.

"Shh! Mom's trying to sleep!

giggle, giggle, bark!

After a while of trying to shut them out I gave up and grabbed the book that was the reason for me being so tired. I had stayed up way to late last night engrossed in the story. I couldn't get it off my mind.


I spent the afternoon reading and finished it by dinner time. I hadn't noticed how quiet the house had gotten.



Little stinkers!

Answers to questions you have been dying to know, and some that you haven't

Yes, our house is still on the market.

No, we haven't gotten any offers. We thought we were close last week. Our realtor said the couple that looked at it twice were deciding between ours and another one. They must have picked the other one.

No, we have not started building. We are big chickens. We decided we would not start building until after we sold this house. Which means we move, and build, and move again. Yay us!

No, I have not ordered the plans yet. I do not know how I managed to get married and have four children. This deciding on a plan has made me terrified of commitment. If any of the three people who read this know of a good house plan drawer upper that is also a mind reader, please let me know. My husband would thank you.

Yes, we have been showing our house more.

No, I don't mind showing my house at the drop of a hat. It makes me so happy to pick-up, wipe, sweep and vacuum at a moments notice. I am not at all witchy and unpleasant to be around. Just ask my family.

A Happy Quinseanera!

This is a big birthday year for several members of our family. Cameron turned eighteen and is now officially an adult. Maddy had her twelfth birthday in April. She now gets to attend Young Women's in church and she graduated from primary. She is also excited about attending girl's camp next week. Next month, Mckenna will turn eight and be baptized. She also thinks that when she is eight she will be able to have unlimited sleep overs. (Not!)

Courtney's birthday was Saturday. I had been teasing her for months that I would throw her a quinseanera, complete with a pinata, a big poofy dress and a tiara. She thankfully rejected my offer.

We did, however, make the most of her fifteenth birthday. The day started with us girls using the gift certificates we got for Christmas for manicures and pedicures. Maddy was forced to go and let us know we were torturing her. Courtney, Mckenna and I were entertained by her torment. The scowl on her face didn't leave until we walked out of the salon.

Courtney loves the flowers on her freshly pedicured toes.

After presents, she picked Applebee's for dinner. We stuffed ourselves so much that she decided to save the cake for Sunday and make it a combined birthday/father's day celebration.

Blow, baby blow!

Yesterday, I gained such a respect for Courtney. We have been looking for a modest swim suit for months for her to wear this summer. The girl's camp rules are that it must be a one piece or a tankini sewn together. (I know... weird!) Anyway, we looked at the local stores and were disappointed at the very, very slim selection. We couldn't find any modest one pieces. The few one pieces we found were not much better than a bikini. After another failed attempt in a popular store, we decided to try a sporting goods store. When I asked the sales lady if they had any one pieces she said, "The only one pieces we have are competitive suits. I saw some the other day at ____ that were pretty cute." She was referring to the store we had just been too. The one piece she was suggesting was basically a bikini with a small piece of fabric down the middle.

I was so pleased that she stuck to her values. She knew exactly what she wanted and what she would be comfortable wearing. She also wanted to find a good deal. (If her dad gives her ten dollars, she will come home with an outfit and shoes.) She tried on several suits, but even a suit I thought was acceptable, she didn't feel right in. I ended up spending more money than I wanted to on a swim suit, but it was worth every penny knowing she is comfortable and trying so hard to make good choices.

Courtney looking stylish in her new suit and board shorts.

Many people have commented on how pretty Court is. She is, but her inner beauty is what knocks the wind out of me.

School's Out For The Summer!

This day is here! Finally, no rushing around in the morning. No more washing p.e. clothes. No more homework! (o.k., I will not let their brains die. We will still read and work on math facts. The school math really lacks on computation skills.)

I gathered all the "stuff" the kids brought home and dropped in various places and took a picture. I will be trying to find places to hide all of this while we are still trying to sell our house!



Mckenna came home today, and said that she got an award at the last day of school assembly. She got a starship Mcgee award for Caring. Her classmates also signed a large paper heart to say goodbye to her. She will not be attending Mcgee next year. I will miss Mcgee. My kids have had awesome teachers and great experiences. It's hard to imagine a new school. Mckenna seems so at ease about changing schools. I hope she makes good friends at Livingston. My goals for the summer:

• READ every day (all of us)
• Practice math facts
• Swimming lessons
• Work on Personnel Progress (Maddy and Courtney)
• Prepare for Kenna's baptism
• Mooch off someones garden (hint, hint) and finally... one that I am not looking forward too
• MOVE!!!

Highlights and lowlights from our busy weekend

My sister called this morning and asked if I had survived the crazy weekend.

"Sort of," I answered.

More on that later.

::Highlight::

We had a BBQ on Saturday. I made WAY too much food! Other than it being a bit breezy, the weather was decent. Cameron was touched by all those that came to wish him well.

::Highlight::

GRADUATION! When I saw the class of 2008 walk down the ramp into the stadium, I was shocked when the tears started spilling onto my cheeks! I was surprised at the emotion I felt watching my baby boy graduate! The reality of what this weekend was about, finally hit me, and hard!

::Lowlight::

Cameron went to the all night senior party. His friends won laptops, stereo systems, mini fridges, and plasma t.v.'s. He won a CD case.

::Highlight::

Seeing Tom give his son a big hug as he handed him his diploma at Seminary graduation. I haven't realized that this must be tough for Tom. His only son is becoming an adult, and he will be living in a house FULL of estrogen.

::Lowlight::

Forgetting my camera for Cam's eagle court of honor. I walked out of the house with Cam's scout uniform, programs, refreshments, napkins and cups; and somehow missed my camera. Luckily, Cam shared his court of honor with another priest in our ward, and his mom remembered hers.

::Highlight::

Cameron sat at the front of the room, about to be honored with his Eagle Scout award. I looked at him sitting there with his scout uniform, and remembered back when I first got that shirt. An experienced scout mom, told me that I should get a shirt big enough to last. I trusted her advice and bought his shirt. When I brought it home and had him try it on, I thought I had made a big mistake. It was HUGE. It literally went to his knees. He would tuck it into his jeans. The excess fabric made a bulge under his waistline.

When did his shirt fit? I hadn't noticed the day he filled out this big shirt.

::Lowlight::

Before Seminary graduation, I was feeling a little queasy. I thought it was probably all the junk I had been eating and the stress from the weekend. I did fine during graduation and the court of honor, but at the end I was definitely starting to feel it. As soon as we got home, I spent most of the evening in or near the bathroom. YUCK!

::Highlight::

At least I didn't get sick until after all the major events of the weekend were over! My husband has been wonderful. He ran me a bath at 2:00 a.m. this morning and stayed home long enough to get the kids off to school. Thanks hon:)

Hair of the Dog

For eight years, Maddy would ask, "Is tomorrow the day we get a dog?" She would pray to get a dog. Her walls were covered with pictures of dogs. I resisted for as long as I could. I told them I didn't want the burden of taking care of it to fall on me. I didn't want to make sure it was fed. I told them that I didn't want to teach it to be good, but in reality; I just didn't want to deal with poop. I finally could not deny her what she wanted any longer. Three years ago for Christmas, Tom took the kids to the pound and they brought home Roxie. I made it clear to him that I didn't want a big dog. (Smaller poop) She is big.

She is a good dog. She will sit on command. She will shake and go down. We can't get her to roll over and she is not the best at fetch. But, she loves our family and even though she has gotten out of our yard a few times, she always comes back. (Much to Hubby's dismay)

There is one area that she and I do not mesh well on. I think I need to take her to obedience school. I have used all the training tricks I know and she is still not doing what I want her too. I can't handle her lack of respect for me much longer!

Her hair is driving me CRAZY! Our house is on the market so I have to keep it presentable ALL the time. I admit, I have slacked a little because of our busy schedule, and nobody calling to see our house for about a week, but this is FOUR days worth of hair! I vacuumed on Saturday, and didn't get to it again until yesterday. Oh, and this mass of disgusting hair, is just from PART of the downstairs. It doesn't include the stairs or the upstairs. That's today's job. We also take her outside and brush her several times a week. It doesn't seem to help much.

I heart, HEART my Dyson. It does such a good job of getting ALL the hair. I've tried to skip a step and just vacuum Roxie, but the sound scares her and she runs away too fast. (It was worth a try!) With as much hair as I get each time, I am shocked the dog has any hair left!

My family is so attached to her, so I will tolerate the hair everywhere a little longer, but this gives me one reason to look forward to winter.

Playing Catch-up

Since I have neglected my blog of late, I thought I had a bit of catching up to do.

Mckenna performed in her 2nd grade play. She was a rain dancer and the cutest singer on the stage!

All I wanted for Mother's Day was a Wii Fit. There is no way I am posting a picture of me on the thing, so Maddy is the lucky victim.
Mckenna wanted curly hair for church last Sunday. I rolled her hair in pink foam rollers and she slept on them. This is the result that lasted for about 20 minutes! It sure was cute while it lasted.
Cameron had his last jazz band concert last Tuesday. He is not missing the 6:50 a.m. practices!

Cam and Court had their final band concert of the year Thursday night. It was a LONG concert. I was asked to put together a retirement slide show for the district music director, and I did a tribute to the band director leaving to take the district job. Mckenna and Maddy had their piano recital last night. It was held in the Battelle auditorium and they did such a good job!

Mckenna played; Tiny Lullaby and Indian Song. Maddy played; Fandango and Think of Me from The Phantom of the Opera.

I have had a couple of people ask me how I'm doing with Cam graduating this year. Honestly, I have been so busy that I haven't had time to think about it. It will almost be a relief to get it done! He had his senior boards last night and passed very easily. Saturday, we are having a BBQ for friends and family before graduation. On Sunday, he will participate in Seminary graduation and have his Eagle Board of Review immediately after. Now, if I can survive this weekend, maybe my head will stop spinning long enough for my heart to feel him leaving me in a few short months!